Mobile technology is forever becoming more sophisticated, which means the marketing of the technology also needs to progress. Already in 2013, smartphone penetration in the UK exceeds 60% (Nielsen, 2013) and adoption worldwide has hit the "mobile majority.” 1 While these numbers may not be all that surprising, it is important to consider that staying connected through mobile devices is an absolute priority for consumers. In today’s society, mobile marketing isn't just about creating a mobile-friendly web site, or sending a mobile message to your customers, but much more.

As marketers, we must embrace mobile and move quickly to incorporate tactics and technologies to deliver relevant 1-to-1 experiences for every customer. Mobile is far more than a marketing channel – it is an experience that transcends every interaction companies have with their customer’s in-store, online and on-the-go.

Keeping up with consumers is a necessity and for brands to ensure success, marketers need to focus on what is ahead and not just hitting send. Given that a staggering one in three minutes spent online is now spent on a device other than PCs1, we know customers are on-the-go and moving from app, to email, to browser, and it is up to us to make sure we deliver messages across all channels to optimise the customer experience. Looking ahead, the next evolution for marketers will be to penetrate peer-to-peer messaging apps, creating another customer touchpoint.

A few other upcoming trends to consider

Is there an app for that? There probably should be. If our customers are spending four out of five minutes on a smartphones engaged with apps,1 there is a tremendous opportunity to connect with mobile push messaging. The conversation is no longer whether or not to have an app or a mobile website because by only choosing one, marketers run the risk of alienating their customer base.

With its broad adoption, email continues to thrive and is more often than not, the preferred channels for marketing messages.2 Now more than 40 percent of emails are opened on a mobile device.3 Responsive design is an integral part of building, maintaining and growing your customer base and engaging customers throughout life cycle marketing3. If you are not optimising your emails for viewing on a mobile device, you have already fallen behind your competitors.

However, we can't talk about the proliferation of mobile devices without considering the growth of tablets. With more than 50 million consumers now owning a tablet1, it's important to have a strategy for both smartphones and tablets. Smartphones may drive showrooming which creates a tremendous opportunity for competitive pricing, but tablets are driving in-home purchases. In fact, comScore finds that tablet users are twice as likely to purchase an item using their device than a smartphone owner. 1 The difference in uses highlights the need for individual strategies for each device in order to increase business results.

Today's hyper-connected consumers are not limited to smartphones and tablets. From connected cars to connected homes, connected devices and even connected toothbrushes, the technology that initially took root in business (shipping, logistics) is transitioning into everyday consumer use. Imagine receiving a text message from your car when it is about to overheat, is ready for an oil change, or that powers a messages to 911 when you have been in an accident. Connectivity will continue to evolve and brands that leverage this new technology will continue to lead the transformation of customer experiences.

What's even more fascinating is the growth of wearable technology. Wearable technology offers unprecedented engagement opportunities for marketers to connect physical activities from exercising to shopping back to consumers and their smart devices, collecting and using data to create highly personalized experiences. Consider the following points from Forrester Research, Inc. senior analyst Sarah Rotman Epps' June 5, 2013 blog post, "The App Wars Come to Wearables - Consumers will be the Winners":

• It is estimated that worldwide wearable shipments will reach 20 to 30 million units this year.

• 44% of surveyed consumers said they’d be interested in a device that could unlock their car and house so they wouldn’t have to carry keys.

• 30% said they’d like a device to make media recommendations based on their mood.

• And 29% said they’d be interested in using a device to track their child’s activity.

Mobility and connectively will create a tremendous opportunity for brands to usher in the next generation of innovation. Today’s consumer is the most connected in history, creating an opportunity for marketers to optimise online and offline interactions multiple point solutions, technologies and teams to deliver a true 1-to-1 experience that is relevant, builds customer loyalty and drives sales.

1 comScore, Feb. 2013, Mobile Future in Focus.

2 ExactTarget, March 2012, Channel Preferences.

3 Litmus, March 2013, Email Analytics.

 

By R.J. Talyor, Vice President of Mobile Products at ExactTarget. 

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